Thiel moving in a new direction

[class a]

The whole Thiel speaker line is going to be revamped. They are going w/6 new speakers 2 centers and 2 subs. First order time/coherent design is gone. Also the metal drivers Jim Thiel designed are gone. Pictures of the new TT-3 which will replace the 3.7 and the TTM-3 are on line.

 

[GaryProtein]

Was the company sold or acquired by a conglomerate?

 

[MylesBAstor]

Was the company sold or acquired by a conglomerate?

Yes soon after Jim passed away and I understand that Kathy is also no longer with the company.

 

[Andre Marc]

The whole Thiel speaker line is going to be revamped. They are going w/6 new speakers 2 centers and 2 subs. First order time/coherent design is gone. Also the metal drivers Jim Thiel designed are gone. Pictures of the new TT-3 which will replace the 3.7 and the TTM-3 are on line.

THIS IS ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE. They introduced two new reference grade products at CES.

The 3.7, 2.7, 2.4 and 1.7 are all time/coherent designs still in the line up.

MISINFORMATION.

 

[class a]

Mark Mason who comes from PSB is the new head of design. This new line up will not sound remotely like the Jim Thiel designs.

 

[Andre Marc]

Mark Mason who comes from PSB is the new head of design. This new line up will not sound remotely like the Jim Thiel designs.

We will find out..I am getting in a TM3 for review when they go into production.

But again, you were INCORRECT. There WILL be new models, but the models I mentioned will continue
to be the cornerstone of the line up..especially the 3.7, 2.7, and 2.4

 

[class a]

If you go to You Tube Enjoy The Music Marc Mason is interviewed and he states that the TT-3 which is priced at $14,999 is a replacement for the 3.7.

 

[Andre Marc]

If you go to You Tube Enjoy The Music Marc Mason is interviewed and he states that the TT-3 which is priced at $14,999 is a replacement for the 3.7.

3.7 stays in production, according to my company rep.

Let me be clear, I am not thrilled with the "new direction".

What is your feeling?

 

[class a]

I will look forward to your review. As a former owner of 1.6's, .5's and 2.3's I'd be interested in the comparison. Also if you talk to Mark Mason question him on the 3.7 and the other speakers in the line. It doesn't seem feasible that they would have 2 speakers in the same price range competing w/each other. And I would speculate w/very dissimilar sound.

 

[Andre Marc]

I will look forward to your review. As a former owner of 1.6's, .5's and 2.3's I'd be interested in the comparison. Also if you talk to Mark Mason question him on the 3.7 and the other speakers in the line. It doesn't seem feasible that they would have 2 speakers in the same price range competing w/each other. And I would speculate w/very dissimilar sound.

Thank you.

The difference with the TM3 is they really don't have a similar product the line..a $3000 two way..kinda looks like a Sonus Faber to me.

The Tt3 is obviously trying to appeal to industrial design fans.

If they DO abandon the Jim Thiel, principles of time and phase coherence down the road, I will consider it a poor decision,

So we need to ask..are these two new models going to sound like PSBs?

 

[Andre Marc]

I spoke to my contact at Thiel. The current speakers will continue in the line up. They plan evaluating the entire line and eliminating
products if needed after a year or 18 months. The 3.7 may be the first to go.

They will continue to service all legacy products indefinitely.

But your initial thread title may be accurate in that Mark Mason has different priorities.

 

[class a]

If you look at the new designs: No time coherent/first order crossover, the drivers for the new lineup will be fiber glass not the metal drivers that Jim Thiel designed. The new owners felt that the Thiel sound had limited appeal. They are going for a warmer sound along the lines of Sonus Faber. From a business standpoint I can't see two totally different lines competing against each other in the same price range. Production costs would be sky high.

 

[Andre Marc]

If you look at the new designs: No time coherent/first order crossover, the drivers for the new lineup will be fiber glass not the metal drivers that Jim Thiel designed. The new owners felt that the Thiel sound had limited appeal. They are going for a warmer sound along the lines of Sonus Faber. From a business standpoint I can't see two totally different lines competing against each other in the same price range. Production costs would be sky high.

I don't think the new owners have felt the Thiel sound had "limited appeal". The 2.4 and 3.7 have been continuous production for 10 years.

They will still be producing parts and servicing legacy products so production costs will not be a big deal.

Time will tell if they turn into Just another speaker company. Because the Thiel we know clearly is not. They are unique.

 

[Kingsrule]

Kiss Thiel goodbye......

 

[KeithR]

If you look at the new designs: No time coherent/first order crossover, the drivers for the new lineup will be fiber glass not the metal drivers that Jim Thiel designed. The new owners felt that the Thiel sound had limited appeal. They are going for a warmer sound along the lines of Sonus Faber. From a business standpoint I can't see two totally different lines competing against each other in the same price range. Production costs would be sky high.

Never have heard a Thiel speaker that wasn't bright. Although i heard back in the day, Thiels with Vac 70/70s was the ticket for great sound.

but the hallmark Thiel design was time coherant/first order xovers- not sure why you mess with that.

 

[Andre Marc]

Never have heard a Thiel speaker that wasn't bright. Although i heard back in the day, Thiels with Vac 70/70s was the ticket for great sound.

but the hallmark Thiel design was time coherant/first order xovers- not sure why you mess with that.

I guess you have not heard a 3.7 or 2.4 properly set up.

 

[mep]

I guess you have not heard a 3.7 or 2.4 properly set up.

There is a common knock that I have often heard with regards to Thiel speakers and that is they are bright sounding. Some say "peel the paint off the walls" bright. Whether it is myth or real, I personally don't know because I don't believe that I have ever heard a pair at a show and I certainly haven't heard them in my own home. From the comments on this thread, it sounds like the new owners want to create a different sound that is warmer which if you read between the lines may you lead to believe they think the old line is bright as well.

 

[Andre Marc]

There is a common knock that I have often heard with regards to Thiel speakers and that is they are bright sounding. Some say "peel the paint off the walls" bright. Whether it is myth or real, I personally don't know because I don't believe that I have ever heard a pair at a show and I certainly haven't heard them in my own home. From the comments on this thread, it sounds like the new owners want to create a different sound that is warmer which if you read between the lines may you lead to believe they think the old line is bright as well.

As someone who is amazingly sensitive to brightness, I can assure you the CS2.4 and 3.7 are not bright at all. I have used both speakers
with dozens of amps. Thiel speakers being bright is simply misinformation.

 

[mep]

As someone who is amazingly sensitive to brightness, I can assure you the CS2.4 and 3.7 are not bright at all. I have used both speakers
with dozens of amps. Thiel speakers being bright is simply misinformation.

Again Andre, I'm not in a position to judge the sound of Thiel speakers because I simply have no experience with them. I was never interested in them based on how they mounted the drivers in the cabinets relative to one another. I don't like to see the tweeter mounted 20' away from the woofer(s) and I'm just slightly kidding on the 20'. Here is one example:




Here is one more example:

 

[Andre Marc]

I simply find it astonishing you would use anything but your ears to judge an audio product.

It seems that using one's eyes and a spec sheet to judge speakers, DACs, and amplifiers is a
unique internet epidemic.

Whether the tweeter is 20 inches or 20 feet from the woofers of no consequence. Both these models
are going on 11 years of continuous production. 'Nuff said.